Han Kang's full-length novel "I Do Not Bid Farewell" (2021) has been shortlisted for France's Prix Femina and Prix Medicis awards for foreign literature. (Munhakdongne Publishing)
By Wu Jinhua
Author Han Kang's full-length novel "I Do Not Bid Farewell" (2021) has been shortlisted for France's prestigious literary awards Prix Femina and Prix Medicis both in the foreign literature category.
Munhakdongne Publishing, which released the original novel in Korea, on Oct. 27 said the French-language edition of "I Do Not Bid Farewell" three days earlier was named one of the five finalists for the Femina for foreign literature along with compatriots Lee Seung-woo and Hwang Sok-young. The book was also shortlisted for the Medici in the same category on Oct. 21 as one of nine nominees.
In 2017, Han was shortlisted for the Medici for foreign literature for "Greek Lessons" (2011).
"I Do Not Bid Farewell," Han's first novel in five years since her magnum opus "The Vegetarian" (2007) won the U.K.'s prestigious Man Booker International Prize in 2016, depicts the tragedy of the 1948-49 uprising on Jeju Island from the perspectives of three women: Gyeong-ha, In-seon and Jeong-sim.
The title of the French-language edition is "Impossibles Adieux" (Impossible Farewell). Choi Kyung-ran and Pierre Bisiou jointly translated the work and the famous French publisher Editions Grasset released it in August.
The French daily Le Monde on Aug. 30 introduced the book in an article headlined "Impossible Farewell, Between Han Kang's Fascinating Vision and Historical Nightmare," saying, "From the first page, the author creates a unique and credible mental space, a continuum between dreams and reality."
The Femina and Medici are two of France's top four literary honors along with the Prix Goncourt and Prix Renaudot.
Founded in 1904 by female writers, the Femina added the foreign literature category in 1985. The Medici, which was started in 1958, celebrates fresh and experimental works and began honoring foreign novels from 1970.
The winners of the Femina will be announced on Nov. 6 and those of the Medici three days later.
In addition to the Booker Prize in 2016 and Spain's San Clemente Literary Prize in 2018 for "The Vegetarian," Han received Italy's Malaparte Prize for "Human Acts" (2014) in 2017. Her work "The White Book" (2016) was also shortlisted for the British award.
jane0614@korea.kr